Frame for motor-cycles or like vehicles.



W. S. HARLEY.

FRAME FOR MOTOR CYCLES 0R LIKE VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1912.

1,068,583. Patented July 29, 1913.

82M (Ia M07);

W. S. HARLEY. FRAME FOR MOTOR CYCLES OR LIKE VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILEDNOV. 18, 1912.

1,068,583. Patented July 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J W W COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co. WASHINGTON, u. c.

WILLIAM S.

HARLEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCGNSIN.

FRAME FOR MOTOR-CYCLES 0R LIKE VEHICLES.

Application filed November 18, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. HARLEY, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the countyof Milwaukee and State of YVisconsin, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Frames for Motor-Cycles or Like Vehicles; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention refers to vehicle frames such as bicycles, motorcycles orthe like, the same being especially designed to be used in connectionwith the latter.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical andyieldingly connected spring-fork for the rear wheel of a machine of thischaracter, the same being under spring control and having verticalyield, together with transverse rigidity.

l/Vith the above object in view the inven tion consists in certainpeculiarities of construction and combination of parts as set forthhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequentlyclaimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of amotorcycle frame embodying the features of my invention with partsbroken away and in section to illustrate structural features; Fig. 2, adetailed sectional plan view of the rear portion of the machine frame,the section being indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an enlargeddetailed sectional elevation of the spring connection between the forkmembers and rigid part of said frame, and Fig. 4, a sectional plan viewof the same, the section being indicated by line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents the horizontal topbar of a motorcycle frame and 2 a corresponding reachbar arrangedapproximately parallel therewith, these bars being in brazed connectionwith a seat-mast 3. A section of the seatmast extends above the top-barfor the reception of a suitable seat not shown. As shown thehorizontally disposed reach-bar 2 is provided with an open mouth thatterminates with a gland 4, into which gland is fitted a tubular jacket5, the same being provided with a flanged end that rests upon the outerend of the gland 4 to which it is clamped by a threaded coupling ring 6.The tubular jacket has fitted therein a hollow plunger 7 that isprovided with an apertured head 8, which head projects beyond the endSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Serial No. 732,073.

of the reach-bar. The bottom head 9 of the jacket is apertured andserves as a guide for a rod 10, which rod is secured to the head 8 ofthe plunger and projects beyond the head 9 of the jacket, terminatingwith a block between which and the head 9 there is interposed a coiledspring 11, the same surrounding the rod. A similar longer coiled spring12 is interposed between the head 9 of the jacket and the head 8 of theplunger, the

said spring being similarly coiled about the rod and serves as a cushionin opposition to inward thrust of said plunger, the shorter spring 11serving as a shock-absorber in opposition to outward movement of saidplunger. The seat-mast 3 is provided with the usual hanger 13 for apedal-carrying crankshaft 14, and below said crank-hanger there isextended rearwardly from the mast a pair of struts 15, the ends of thesame adjacent to the mast being brazed and connected thereto by asuitable bracket, the struts being also further braced by a connectionwith the bottom portion of the crank-hanger 13. Thus said struts arerigidly secured. The outer end of these struts carry a transverselydisposed tubular hanger 16, which hanger as shown, is arranged justforwardly of the rear wheel of the machine. Mounted in the tubularhanger upon suitable ball-bearings is a rock-shaft 17 having taperedends that project beyond the hanger for the reception of apertured hubs18 which are rigidly connected to the rock-shaft and are retained bysuitable clamping nuts 19 that are in threaded union with reduced endsof the shaft. These hubs are each provided with a vertically disposedtubular brace-bar 20 and a horizontally disposed lower fork-bar 21, therear end of which fork-members are secured to slotted axle-receivingplates 22. Zach axle-plate has secured thereto an obliquely disposedforwardly inclined rear fork tube 22, the upper end of which fork tubeintersects the brace-tube 20 in juxtaposition to the mouth of thehorizontally disposed reach-bar 2. Each pair of intersecting brace andreach-bars are brazed or otherwise secured to a transversely disposedbridge-block 23 having upwardly extended apertured cars 24, betweenwhich cars is fitted the apertured end of a link 25, the same being inthe form of a T, the stem of which constitutes the outer end of saidlink and is apertured and fitted between the forked ends of the head 8which is carried by the plunger 7, this link-end being suitablyconnected by a cross-pin 26 as shown. That end of the link which isfitted between the ears 24 of the bridge-block extends outwardly to aconsiderable width whereby torsion strain upon the fork members andbrace-bars 10 is reduced to a minimum, the said linkend being secured bya bolt 27 which passes through the same together with the head ears.Fitted between and connected to the upper fork members 22 is the usualmudguard 28, which mud-guard extends downwardly and may be shownconnected also to the brace-bars 20. Thus said mud-guard is arranged torise and fall with the rear wheel.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the crank-hangerconstitutes a bracing bracket for the rearwardly extending pair ofstruts which support the tubular hanger 16 that constitutes the fulcrumpoint of the entire fork member, the hubs 18 bein g rigidly connectedthrough the hanger by the rock-shaft 17 to thus constitute a single headin conjunction with said rock-shaft. Owing to the fulcrum point of thefork member, as a whole, being at approximately a right-angle to thetubular reach-bar of the frame it is apparent that there is slight arcmovement at the bridge connection of the struts and upper reach-bar.Hence there will be no appreciable tendency of the spring plunger tobind in its action, such slight tendency being relieved by the linkconnection at this point, the construction as a whole forming a rigidlybraced fork that is capable of floating or oscillating incidental tovibration caused through travel, whereby undue strains are absorbed,particular attention being called to the bridge-block orcross-connection that is provided with ears which are spaced far apartto prevent torsion or twist of the fork frame and also the shaftconnection between the heads 18 whereby the opposite triangular sides ofthe fork are rigidly secured at their fulcrum point.

I claim:

1. In a frame for motorcycles or the like having a seat-mast, an openmouthed horizontally disposed reach-tube supported thereby; thecombination of a pair of struts rigidly secured to the lower end of theseatmast and extending rearwardly therefrom, a hanger supported thereby,revoluble connected hubs journaled in the hanger, vertically disposedbrace-bars extending upwardly from the hanger, lower fork membersextending rearwardly from the hub, an eared bridgeblock rigidlyconnecting the upper ends of the brace-bars in juxtaposition to themouth of the reach-tube, an axle-plate secured to the end of each lowerfork memher. and an obliquely disposed upper fork member connected toeach plate and to the bridge-block, and a springplunger carried by thereachtube in connection with said bridge-block ears.

2, In a frame for motorcycles or the like having a seat-mast, an openmouthed horizontally disposed reach-tube supported thereby; thecombination of a pair of struts rigidly secured to the lower end of theseatmast and extending rearwardly therefrom, a hanger supported thereby,a rock-shaft mounted in the hanger, hubs secured to the rock-shaft, avertically disposed brace-bar extending upwardly from each hub, a lowerfork member extending rearwardly from each hub, a transversely disposedbridgeblock rigidly secured to the upper ends of each brace-bar injuxtaposition to the mouth of the reach-tube, an axle-plate secured tothe outer end of each lower fork member, an obliquely disposed forkmember connecting each plate and the bridge-block, and a cushioningmechanism carried by the reach-tube in connection with the bridge-block.

3. In a motorcycle frame having a seat mast; the combination of strutsrigidly secured to the lower end of the seat-mast and extendingrearwardly therefrom, a hanger secured to the ends of the struts,triangular fork members each having one corner in pivotal union with thehanger, axle-carrying plates at another of the corners of eachtriangular member, a bridge piece connecting the other corners of thetriangular members, and a frame and last named corners of the afore saidtriangular fork members.

4. In a frame for motorcycles or the like having a seat-mast, an openmouthed horizontally disposed reach-tube supported thereby; thecombination of a hanger sup ported by the seat-mast, a revoluble headjournaled about the hanger, vertically disposed brace-bars extendingupwardly from the hanger, lower fork members extending rearwardly fromthe head, an eared bridgeblock rigidly connecting the upper ends of thebrace-bars in juxtaposition to the mouth of the reach-tube, anaxle-plate secured to the end of each lower fork member, an obliquelydisposed upper fork member connected to each plate and to thebridge-block, and a spring-plunger carried by the reachtube inconnection with said bridge-block ears.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atMilwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and state of Wisconsin in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM S. HARLEY.

WVitnesses EDWIN F. CASPER, E. J. MUELLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

ishion mechanism connecting the

